Just like an
athletic event, drumming can involve physical demands which
you must be prepared for; not only for the sake of your
performance, but for your health. Preparation, exercise and stretching can help maintain
your overall health so that you can return to play night after
night, year after year. Drumming is however NOT a competition. Often the
physical nature of drumming leads to a competitive
nature...who is the fastest, who is the "best". These are
questions are irrelevant. Drumming is an art, not a
competition. That being said, the physical nature of drumming
deserves respect for the forces involved.

Daily and pre-performance stretching are essential
for maintaining musculo-skeletal health and for maximizing your performance. Go
slowly and try to perform your exercise activities in a relaxed, unhurried
manner.

Good cardiovascular fitness can
pay huge dividends by increasing your ability to perform for longer periods.
Good cardio-vascular health can also enhance your ability to
perform well throughout a long set by helping you maintain good technique. When you get
physically fatigued, your technique will begin to suffer and
you will eventually begin to use
other muscle groups to perform. This leads to break down of your technique which
can lead to injury.

During your routine practice
and at rehearsals, pay attention to your form and technique. Work on staying
relaxed and do not use all of your energy on a single song or section. Pace yourself and aim for a consistent energy level. Quality is indeed more important
that quantity. Relaxation and good breathing technique will allow you to
perform longer with less fatigue.

For drummers, it
makes sense to maintain a "well rounded" routine which
encourages strength and flexibility of the upper and lower body.
It makes little sense to achieve massive upper body strength at
the expense of cardio-vascular health and lower body endurance.
Your exercise routines should be balanced between cardiovascular
work and strength training.

Did
you know you can help maintain your cardiovascular health while helping maintain
your weight by walking just 20-40 minutes a day? You don't need a gym
membership or equipment. All that is needed are proper fitting athletic shoes!
You will be surprised how good you feel after just a few weeks of daily walking
or hiking.

I have found Tai Chi to be a really effective way to relax and stretch while
improving balance and fluidity of motion. Drumming is generally a high
speed motion which uses fast twitch muscle fibers. AsTai Chi is a martial art
which uses slow speed motions, it is a great counterpoint to the rapid speed
motions we perform as drummers. I recommend Tai Chi practice as part of a
balanced fitness program. While a Tai Chi instructor is great, there are also a
number of excellent DVD's available which can get you started.
David Carradine's Tai Chi Workout for Beginners
and the rest of his Tai Chi DVD series is very good, especially since those of
us who remember his calm and relaxing voice!

Warm up prior
to beginning an exercise period or drum practice, rehearsal or show. By warming up we mean just that; "Warm the
muscles, tendons and joints". A warm muscle performs much
more efficiently than a cold muscle. In addition, warmed up joint systems are more
extensible and flexible. This translates into tissues which can
better withstand stress and strain. This can mean fewer injuries from repetitive
strain or sudden traumatic accidents.

Proper warm up
should consist of several minutes of gentle low intensity stretching. The legs, lower
back and neck should be warmed up and gently stretched. The fingers, wrists,
arms and shoulders should be stretched as they play an
important part in generating speed and endurance while playing. A further benefit
of warming up, includes preparing the cardiovascular system for
increased physical demands.

Proper stretching is done slowly and under control with no bouncing or tugging.

Get in the habit of
checking your equipment prior to rehearsals and shows. This helps to keep your
gear in good condition and can alert you of potentially dangerous components.

Drumsticks - Pay attention to your
sticks! A "buzzing" stick is as good as broken. Discard
it. A shattered stick is very dangerous and can inflict serious
injury to your eyes. Of course, good technique should include an awareness of
where your sticks are moving. Avoid rebounding in close proximity to your face
and eyes. also see "No Fly Zone"

Use high quality sticks whenever possible! Companies like
Regal Tip use high quality wood stock with tight
wood grain which can be less likely to shatter.

Stick size is often over-looked. In general drummers use a stick size that
feels good, and over time we get used to a certain stick length and
diameter of drum stick. It makes sense to take a moment to look at your stick size. If
you have smaller hands and use a large diameter stick, you may be expending a
great deal of energy just trying to hold the stick. Likewise, if you have larger
hands and use a thinner stick, you may benefit from a larger diameter stick.

Drumstick size, length and composition all interact with you UNIQUE hand
size and playing style. A stick which may "buzz" in your hand may feel
fine to another drummer. I very strongly suggest playing with several
different sticks until you find the type which limits "buzz" and reduces
impact force, while feeling like an extension of your hands.

If you have been playing for many years, I also suggest that you
re-visit your stick selection every 5 years or so. A stick size that was
right years ago may not be the optimal stick for you now!

If you use nylon tip sticks, make sure you use a high quality stick! If the tip
falls off the stick the tip of the stick becomes a fairly sharp point. This can
do damage to you, others around you and your gear! As a nylon tip player for over
30 years, I have seen and experienced nylon tips falling off. Whenever
possible I use Regal Tip
nylon tip sticks as I have NEVER had a tip come off.

I know this is a blatant
show of bias toward Regal Tip. I happily acknowledge that I am a Regal Tip
endorser. My experience has shown that Regal Tip makes very high
quality sticks. Regal Tip pioneered
nylon tipped sticks and somehow, they have managed to produce a tip which does
not come off or break.

According to Regal Tip, he majority of
Regal Tip drumsticks are made out of
hickory. This is
the same lumber that is used for handles for the striking tool industry,
such as axe handles and hammer handles. There are a couple of
characteristics to hickory that are advantageous when striking a drum
or, in the case of axe handles, a log. Hickory has a “whipping” quality
when struck. Just like there is flex to the wings of a plane, there is
also some flex to your stick when you hit your drum. This flex is one
of the reasons that hickory sticks are so durable. They don’t snap as
easily as some other types of wood which don’t have that inherent flex.

Thrones
- Drum thrones and stools can wear out and collapse causing severe injury.
Give your throne a good
check every once in a while at the same time you spray it with
WD40! Proper positioning is part of your technique. Allow for proper posture
which maintains the curve in your lower back, while affording good mechanical advantage
for your feet.

Cymbals
- A cracked cymbal can be dangerous if not spotted in time, particularly a crash
cymbal which can create serious cuts if the cymbals is choked at the cracked
edge. Injury can also occur during set up and break down. If you spot a cracked
cymbal remove it from your kit.

Make sure cymbal sleeves, screws/crowns are in good shape. A falling cymbal can
be a serious hazard.

The Stage
- Drum-risers have caused accidents. If the rigging is unsteady report
it as soon as possible! Take your time when entering
and exiting the stage/riser. I have seen several cases of crew and
performers injuring themselves on stages and stage risers, including a severe leg
fracture. Do yourself a favor;
be careful and look where you are walking. A stage can be an unfamiliar, poorly
lit and dangerous
place.

Set up and Break Down- It's dark and
late. You are tired and you have no one to help get your gear off stage and
packed up. This is a dangerous combination! I have treated a patient who had a heavy road case
dropped on his thumb, resulting in complete amputation of the thumb! You can limit your risk by asking for help, and thinking and looking before you move or lift.
Slow down and reduce risk.

Sidebar:
Electronic drum
pads have come a long way over the past 20 plus years. Hard, unforgiving playing
surfaces have given way to softer, more realistic surfaces. The harder Simmons
pads often brought finger, wrist and elbow fatigue due to the intense vibration
caused by the abrupt impact of stick to surface. Newer pads allow for a
more natural impact which absorbs some of the energy to the stick impact,
meaning less force imparted into the drummers body. Kick drum pads continue to
be a bit of a problem however in that manufacturers of mesh head kick pads
require a somewhat tight tension on the mesh head. I suggest using as loose a
tension as possible on the kick pad mesh head.

Learn
and utilize good drumming technique. While drumming is an art, there are
certain principles which require your attention. Proper technique
makes you more efficient with your energy, distributes stress
through your joints evenly and makes you faster. Here are a few
things to consider:

Stay relaxed in the upper body and face.

Breath through a relaxed mouth. The best way to breath is with as
little air resistance as possible. Breathing through your nose alone increases
air resistance. Think about how an Olympic sprinter runs...Relaxed.

While there are as many different stroke techniques as there are
drummers, remember that a combined stroke which uses
arm/forearm/wrist and fingers, spreads the work load and can
increase power and speed. There should be very little tension in your grip;
relaxation is key to speed and endurance.
Rebound should be used to help reset the stick for the next stroke.

Positioning of your
equipment is also critical and may play a part in injury prevention.

Injury to the
face and eyes can occur from broken or shattered sticks or rebounds into
the face or eye. While I never advocate
"defensive" drumming, I do think it is a good idea to use techniques
which keep stick positions and rebounds away from the face and eyes.
I think of a triangular zone where I try to limit stick rebounds; like a
"no fly zone" so to speak. If we look at the picture below, I try
to use techniques which limit the amount of stick tip intrusion into the
red triangular space. Of course there are times when stick rebounds will
intrude into this space, but the idea is to limit the amount of time the
sticks intrude into the no fly zone. This will lessen the risk of
impacting the face or eyes with a stick. Especially important if and
when a stick shatters. Splitters can be dangerous, so I prefer to lessen
the chance of having a shattered stick hit my eye.

Posture:All
too often drummers develop poor posture habits. Slouching over
the kit is a sure way to injury your lower back and neck.
Maintain the curve in your lower back by sitting tall and standing tall. When you slouch you dramatically increase
the gravitational load on your lumbar spine. Furthermore, when you lessen
your lower back curvature, you increase the forward weight-bearing of your head.
This in turn increases the load on your neck, leading to increase stress in your
neck and shoulders. Build or re-build your kit
set up from the ground up. Make sure that your positioning
encourages proper posture and easy access to your gear.

Always
stay well hydrated. This is especially true if you don't already
drink water. During a gig or rehearsal your normal demand for
water will increase dramatically as exhalation and perspiration
increase water loss. Do not wait until you are thirsty before drinking water. When
ever possible, drink water during your set. This is especially true if
your gig is outdoors. Staying well hydrated will lessen fatigue,
and enhance your performance.

Sidebar:
A
good target amount of water is to drink up to one half of your
body weight in ounces of water per day!
(if you weight 150 pounds you can drink 75 ounces a day!)

NUTRITION:Eating well prior to
a show or while on a road trip can be difficult, as uncertain
time schedules and poor sources of quality foods prevail. Try to eat well 70% to
80% of
the time, so you can better endure the junk food or rich food you will no doubt be eating. If at
all possible, prepare in advance by keeping a healthy snack or
two in your bag. Apples and nuts keep well and make excellent snacks. Health/nutrition bars are
good, as they encourage water consumption! When on the road try
to maintain a consistent eating pattern. Keeping your metabolism
at an even pace makes a great difference in how you feel and
perform.

Eating several smaller meals, reducing your intake of simple carbohydrates
(rice, bread, potatoes, sugared drinks) while increasing fruit and vegetable
intake can be a great aid to reducing unwanted and unhealthy weight gain.

New
nutritional science tells us that not all fats are bad. Monounsaturated
and polyunsaturated fats contain important omega-3 fatty acids and additional
components which are essential to good health. Nuts, fish and certain oils
(olive, avocado, canola) are full of healthy fats.

Drumming legend Bill Bruford was
kind enough to add his thoughts regarding nutrition. I quote him directly, "Eat
your broccoli!". If eating that particular green veggie has anything to do with
Mr. Bruford's immense talent, I for one will take his advice!

It is important to remember that in a world in which rich
foods are readily available, every day does not have to be a feast. Although it
is important to "live your life and enjoy the moment", it is equally important
to treat your body with respect and not over-indulge every day.

While it may not
always be needed, noise reduction ear plugs may be needed if volume levels are
high. If possible have your monitor
mix as low as possible while still enabling adequate sound levels to hear
everything well. If there is little time, or if you have a
reluctant sound engineer, rotate the monitors away from you a
bit. This is a "low tech" method I have used many times to help save
my ears
for another day!

If
you wear hearing protection, don't forget to dry your ears well
after shows and showers. Trapped moisture can lead to fungal
infections and water entrapment.

Relaxation while drumming is much like the relaxation
utilized by Olympic sprinters. A sprinter must relax and
allow the body to move freely once he/she reaches top
speed. If the sprinter tries to "push harder" once at
top speed, the result will be that that the body
tightens up due to lactic acid build up in the muscles
which are needed to continue running.

This is very much like drumming. Relaxation allows you
to maintain your pace without "tightening up".
What do I mean when I say "relaxation"? To relax while
drumming means:1) Breath
easily and fully through a slightly open mouth.

2) Resist the urge to "try harder" by playing faster
or hitting harder. Allow the sticks to rebound and
resist "playing through" the drum.

3) Pace yourself and not using all of your energy on a
single song, passage or solo.

4) Listen to the other performers and feel the
rhythm...this keeps your mind from interfering with the
complex process of drumming.

No Fly ZoneIt is a good idea to develop techniques which limit stick rebound
into this zone. In other words; limit rebounding which propels the
stick toward your face and eyes. Bear in mind that if you rebound
directly toward your face and a stick shatters or breaks, stick
fragments can fly toward your face and eyes.

My
Personal Nutritional Tips: (not
intended as a substitute for professional consultation) Following
the latest nutritional discoveries and advice can be a
challenge. It seems that once you think you are eating
the right things, you hear a news blurb saying you have been
doing it all wrong! Over the years I have learned that when
it comes to nutrition, you cannot get away from science and
human physiology. Here are my personal nutritional
tips:

2) Eat more fruits and
vegetables. Heard this
before haven't you! An easy way to achieve this while
cutting your caloric intact is to use 1/2 LESS starchy
carbohydrates while
cooking your favorite dish. Substitute more vegetables
to the dish.

4) Drink 1-2 alcoholic drinks
per day. It does not
matter what type of alcohol, red wine or white, Jack Daniels
or Budweiser. Studies indicate that those who drink 2
alcoholic drinks cut their risk of cardiac trouble by 30%!
Of course, I do not advocate drinking while performing.
Recent studies do not support any alcohol intake for
women; sorry ladies.Willett, W., "Eat
Drink and be Healthy", Simon and Schuster, 2001, 134-137.

5) Avoid ALL trans
fats. These are
found in manufactured baked goods, crackers and fast foods.
Trans fats increase the levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and
increase the "stickiness" of red blood cells, increasing the
risk of stroke and heart attacks.

6) Eat more GOOD fats.
The fats found in nuts, fish, avocados and olives contain
more unsaturated fats and omerga-3 fatty acids. These
fats help, among other important things, to increase "good "
HDL cholesterol.

7) Avoid simple starches
like white rice, potatoes and white bread. These
starches create a "sugar rush" into the blood stream, which
in the case of potatoes, is greater than eating a candy bar!
This sugar rush forces your body to release insulin which
will make you feel tired and hungry. Treat all
carbohydrates, including whole grains as treats to be
enjoyed in moderation only.